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2009consumerresearchsummary
September 21 2009
2009 CONSUMER RESEARCH SUMMARY


IMAX CONSUMER RESEARCH SUMMARY September 2009 BACKGROUND In an effort to address any existing confusion about our business model in connection with the rapid expansion of the IMAX® theatre network, and as part of our ongoing effort to analyze and enhance IMAX® brand marketing, IMAX recently initiated a comprehensive research study with The Nielsen Company. Research Objectives: - Examine audience satisfaction levels for The IMAX Experience® across different IMAX theatre designs. - Explore whether audiences feel that multiplex design theatres deliver The IMAX Experience. Definitions: Every IMAX theatre can be identified as either: - Classic Design – locations that were purpose-built specifically as IMAX theatres. - Multiplex Design – existing multiplex auditoriums that were upgraded to IMAX theatres. *Please note: these terms are meant to help consumers and IMAX moviegoers understand the difference between IMAX theatre locations and are not terms that reflect any difference in technology, branding or otherwise. SURVEY DETAILS The Nielsen Company surveyed more than 6,000 IMAX moviegoers in both classic design locations and multiplex design locations during the run of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian: The IMAX Experience (“NATM 2”) and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: The IMAX Experience (“Transformers 2”). Their research included 11 IMAX theatres across the United States, and to ensure that we tested consumer satisfaction levels across an array of screen sizes and projection types, we surveyed 3 classic design and 8 multiplex design locations (representing both film-based and digital projection systems) with IMAX screen sizes ranging from 50.5’ wide x 28.5’ high to 84’ wide x 63’ high. Research Findings: IMAX moviegoers love The IMAX Experience in both classic design and multiplex design theatres. - There was no meaningful difference in satisfaction levels between classic design and multiplex design IMAX locations. - Satisfaction levels were very strong for IMAX overall, with little variation between the reaction levels to different elements that comprise The IMAX Experience. - IMAX in any format was more satisfying than the non-IMAX format. The IMAX Experience, as defined by consumers, is the best way to see movies and provides: superior image quality, larger screen size, high quality sound and an immersive experience. - The vast majority of moviegoers are drawn to IMAX because they expect the experience of IMAX to be better than a regular theatre (~89%), and because IMAX provides good value entertainment (~81%). - The key reasons for seeing the movie in IMAX were the image quality (~89%), screen size (~89%), surround sound (~88%) and the sense of feeling immersed in the movie (~84%). -The satisfaction levels for the individual elements of The IMAX Experience were similar (aggregate of “extremely” and “very” satisfied) in classic design and multiplex design locations: - Screen size: ~88% for classic design and ~85% for multiplex design - Image quality: ~86% for classic design and ~86% for multiplex design - Surround sound: ~89% for classic design and ~87% for multiplex design - Sense of feeling immersed: ~87% for classic design and ~83% for multiplex design - Satisfaction drivers are highly correlated (eg,: 75% of those who feel screen size is an important part of The IMAX Experience feel the same way about surround sound). - Moviegoers who went to both multiplex design locations (~77%) and classic design locations (~85%) felt that IMAX is a good value. IMAX is a popular way to see great Hollywood films, and multiplex design locations are growing in popularity as IMAX’s footprint continues to expand. - The majority of the audience members (~70%) who came to see NATM 2 and Transformers 2 had previously seen a movie in IMAX. - 60% of the multiplex design audience members had previously seen a movie in a multiplex design IMAX theatre. - 20% of the multiplex design audience members had previously seen IMAX movies at both classic design and multiplex design IMAX locations. Offering The IMAX Experience in multiplex design locations helps eliminate barriers that limit more consumers from seeing great Hollywood films in IMAX. - 41% of audience members who watched Transformers 2 in a conventional theatre instead of an IMAX theatre cited the fact that tickets were sold out at the IMAX theatre as a reason for not seeing the movie in IMAX. - 45% of audience members who watched Transformers 2 in a conventional theatre cited inconvenient IMAX show times as a reason for not seeing the movie in IMAX. - Expanding the IMAX theatre network via multiplex design locations and providing more show times helps address these barriers.